Friday, January 9, 2009

If you want to be happy then live now!

If you want to be happy then live now!
So many of us chase after happiness only to find that like an elusive butterfly it is continuously just out of reach, always eluding our grasp, and we wonder why is it that we are denied this thing that we so desperately want.
We play the "I'll be happy when" game, or the "Life was better when" game. It seems to be human nature to put off living until either we reach some magical state in the future, or retrieve some condition from the past. There always seems to be something missing that stops us from enjoying where we are now.
When you play these games you are saying that "NOW" is not good enough and then you fail to experience the magic of NOW. NOW is all you have, out of it you make the memories that you cherish and create the future that you dream of. But you must live NOW. Your life happens to you one instant at a time. One experience at a time. Any happiness you want can only be experienced NOW.
But what is happiness? Happiness is a state of mind, it is a sense of being - of being one with your world and at peace with yourself. It is a sense of acceptance of the situation and circumstances you are in. To be happy you have got to get involved in life. Life is a participator sport not a spectator sport. Become absorbed in your task no matter how mundane it may seem.
Real joy comes not from what you have, or where you are, or where you are going, but from knowing that you are doing something worthwhile. If you watch a truly happy person you will find them absorbed in their work, be it writing a symphony or planting a garden. Happiness is like a kiss, to get any enjoyment out of it you have to share it with someone else.
I wish you the joy of truly experiencing every moment of your life. I wish you the joy of finding yourself and being content with that discovery. I wish you the joy of love in your life, love of yourself, love for others and the joy of being loved by others. I wish you a life of excessive happiness. And, I wish that you understand that if you want to be happy then live now.
Best Wishes